'Scandal' recap: A family affair

This image released by ABC shows actress Bellamy Young and actor Tony Goldwyn in a scene from "Scandal." The series airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. EST on ABC.
(AP/ABC)

It took nearly three seasons but we finally met the Grant offspring, and their visit exposes some harsh truths about their parents.

Jerry and Karen Grant arrive at the White House and are immediately prepped for a big family interview. Olivia notices that not all is right with the teens and has her gladiators look into them. Turns out, Jerry is running an anti-Fitz Twitter account and recently purchased a Reston T-shirt that he plans to wear to the interview. Karen? Resents her cheating scoundrel of a father and questions why her mother would stay with him.

When not investigating the first children, Pope and Associates have their hands full. In an attempt to weaken B613, they plan to separate the initiative from its money supply. Finding the source does not go unnoticed. Rowan calls his daughter to tell her to stop digging before she gets killed. Olivia is not unnerved, and reminds her father of last week's pep talk.

Also on Olivia's plate? Adnan Salif, who confesses to the gladiators that she has been in cahoots with Maya Pope. She won’t give up any more details until they're able to grant her immunity for her crimes.

Fitz confronts Jerry about his actions and scolds Karen when she defends her brother. She storms out, and you could imagine her surprise when she stumbles upon Mellie and “Uncle Andrew” in a very compromising position, with Olivia trailing behind.

Just when it seems like things can’t get worse, Liv receives a phone call from her mother. Maya explains she wants Adnan back, but Olivia refuses to negotiate with a terrorist.

“I’d rather be a traitor than what you are,” Mama Pope explains. “You think you’re family, but you’re nothing but the help.”

While it's clear the words sting, Liv has bigger fish to fry. Less than an hour before the family’s live interview, Karen exposes her mother’s infidelity. Fitz barrels down the hall to confronts his best friend and potential vice president, then punches him square in the face.

Olivia tries and fails to get the interview cancelled before finding herself outside the door while Fitz confronts his wife. He wrongly assumes that the affair began after Jerry’s birth, citing this as the reason for her coldness afterwards. He accuses her of shutting down and rejecting him because of her feelings for Andrew. Bellamy Young puts on an Emmy -worthy performance, crying that he has no idea what she has sacrificed for him. The confession that his father raped her is right on the tip of her tongue when Olivia interrupts.

“I’m talking to my wife!” Fitz shouts.

Nothing spurns a mistress more than being reminded of their role and Olivia almost leaves the White House. Cyrus stops her. He explains it’s their job to clean up messes and she needs to get back inside so his husband didn’t die for nothing.

Meanwhile, television's most twisted love triangle continues to gain momentum. Charlie and Quinn discuss Huck’s visit while covered in blood spatter from the terrorist Jake Ballard has ordered them to torture. Quinn is careful not to mention their kiss to a jealous Charlie and later meets up with Huck after learning he’s beaten a B613 agent to get info on her. She reminds him of the time he ripped a molar out of her mouth and licks his face, just as he did to her. Then the two of them make out, disturbing every single viewer watching at home.

Back at Pope and Associates Adnan successfully seduces Harrison and when his guard is down, injects him with a needle, knocking him out. Adnan never planned on turning on Maya Pope at all, it was an elaborate ruse to gain access to the president’s campaign schedule and insider information on the White House. Jake becomes aware of their plans to hand the info over to a terrorist, but instead of taking action, decides to see how it all plays out.

Olivia returns and encourages Fitz to put his family back together. Once again, Olivia is on the outside as the Grant family talks behind closed doors. Whatever he says, works. The four of them, plus baby Teddy, make it to the interview with only seconds to spare. Everyone puts on a happy face, except for Olivia, until she receives a phone call from her father.

Rowan, who had earlier been on the receiving end of some threats by Command himself, is ready to talk. You see, B613 isn’t funded by just one department, it’s funded by all of them. When she asks why he’s telling her this he explains, “We’re family Olivia. We stick together.”